Too Qualified? The Wall Street Journal reports that many former high-level business types are finding it difficult to make the transition to smaller level jobs.  In my case, with an MBA and a PhD and many years’ experience as an administrator and college teacher, I would find it very difficult to find someone who would take me on as, say, a receptionist or an accounting clerk.

Recruiter’s Point of View. I have been on the other side of the desk, many years ago.  I did hiring for a large manufacturing company – some factory but lots of office workers.  I was always skeptical of the person who came in with a loaded resume and lots of experience who said she or he wanted to downsize their work.  I figured they wouldn’t be happy long and wouldn’t stay.

Other Side of the Desk. Now that I am on the other side of the desk, I can see I was wrong.  There are lots of reasons why someone older with much experience might want to scale down their work to something lighter and less responsible.

To the recruiters. If you are sitting across from a skeptical recruiter, you might want to remind him or her:

• The average time spent in a job is about 2 years.  Then younger people move on. But an older worker is more likely to stay.
• You might be able to hire an older person to work part-time, saving on health plan benefits.
• Older people are more reliable and less likely to miss work for childcare reasons.
• Adding a mature worker to the mix in your office can have a calming effect on the younger workers.  They might enjoy having someone to turn to for advice.
• Older workers are more knowledgeable about work in general and their expectations are lower.  This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay them what they are worth, but you can give them a task and expect it will get done with fewer questions and less “fuss.”

It goes without saying that recruiters are more tuned-in to age discrimination complaints these days, so maybe you won’t have to say anything at all. If you are looking for a job, I would be interested in what you encounter in the wonderful world of employment search.

Post from: Small Business Boomers